All the Sense in Pregnancy Sense

I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of the brand new Pregnancy Sense book at Kids Emporium Constantia 2 weeks ago. I am a big fan of Meg Faure, but I had never heard her speak live.
Not only was she speaking, but I was able to chat to her in person before and after her talk! (Sorry for being stalkerish Meg :D) She was lovely! Ok, enough about that now. The book! That’s why we were there. Pregnancy Sense is the latest of the Sense series, Baby Sense, Sleep Sense and Feeding Sense.

I am going through an incredibly broody stage at the moment. It feels like everybody around me has just had a baby, is about to have a baby or is announcing their second pregnancy. I am ecstatic for them all of course, that’s who I am. And more babies everywhere means more baby snuggles for me!! But it also causes a deep very primal ache.

I want another baby. I desperately want a boy, but another little girl would make me just as happy. I’m not actually ready though. And neither is Charly. It’s a conversation and planning for next year. But listening to Meg talk about this book really stirred it all up even more. And the gift bag from the event didn’t help either! All the gorgeous things for tiny humans. Sigh.

Anyway, Pregnancy Sense was co-authored by Meg Faure, Jacky Searle and Heather Wood. It covers everything from preparing for pregnancy, to a weekly breakdown of what to expect in the pregnancy, birth and then my personal favourite – and the topic of Meg’s talk for the morning in the final chapter – 1001 hours.

Things I love about Pregnancy Sense

This book was written by 3 different women working together, each with their own expertise and with 60 years of experience and 7 kids between them.

It is rich with different outlooks and knowledge. Meg is an occupational therapist with a special interest in babies and toddlers, with a clinical practice in Cape Town. Jacky is an obstetrician/gynaecologist and has been working in private practice at Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Cape Town for almost 18 years. Heather has been the clinic sister at Thula Baby Centre, in Mouille Point, Cape Town for 10 years. She teaches antenatal classes in Rondebosch and Mouille Point, preparing couples for birth and supporting them afterwards to become confident parents.

The use of hours…

6,700 hours from conception to full term birth, 1001 hours from birth to 6 weeks. I think I love this because the one thing that remains true for me is that, particularly in those early days, time changes. With a new baby particularly, I clearly remember that day and night became irrelevant, it was all about the number of hours. 3 hours from the beginning of one feed to the next… 24 hours a day. When people told me to take things one day at a time, I wanted to punch them… It was one hour at a time at best. And the 6,700 hours? Better than 9 months, because 40 weeks is actually 10 months, not 9, and that just bugs me.

They have somehow included everything in this book!!

While not making it a doorstop. It is an easy read, unlike many of the others out there.

The last chapters – 1001 hours.

This just makes SO much sense to me. I’ve mentioned before that I am a believer in the “fourth” trimester. Those first few months when baby needs nothing more than what they needed in your belly. Well this is that, but explained so beautifully. Also, with practical ways that you can actually use that knowledge to soothe your new baby and help head off potential issues.

There is a “Hints for the Other Half” section at the end of most chapters.

This book would definitely be on the top of my reading list if I were expecting. I absolutely recommend it, in actual fact, I have already personally recommended it to my friends that have just announced their pregnancies. It definitely isn’t just for the first time mom either. I learned so many things from Meg at her talk and she only covered 20 pages of the book.